This disclosure relates generally to welding systems and, more particularly, to welding power supplies having adjustable current ramping rates.
In the past, the stick welding market and, more specifically pipe welding applications, has been dominated by DC generator welding machines. The arc/welding characteristics inherent in a DC generator, which are determined by the magnetic design of the machine, provide high quality performance for pipe welding applications. The machine response can be changed by selecting taps on the DC generator magnetics and/or changing the resistance in the generator field circuit. Conventional electronic controlled inverter/high frequency switching welding power sources have not replicated the welding characteristics of a DC generator that make the DC generator attractive for stick welding applications. While the desirable behaviors are inherent in DC generators, such behaviors are not present in conventional high frequency switching welding power sources.